Concept in Definition ABC

As in traditional services that are used for specific times, in terms of technology there are also services and resources that can be used for a certain time, or services that can be accessible up to a certain level.

To control access and use of these, a series of systems are used that are most similar to the permits to use the slopes of a ski resort: ski passes.

A ski pass designates a service that can be accessed for a limited time, or at a limited level, for a single price, or on a scale of pricing.

For example, a technical service from computing can offer a ski pass with a fixed price that includes a series of reviews of maintenance periodic, as well as a series of palliative practices of common problems and, even, with workshop hours included.

In another segment within the same technological field, we could have a ski pass to access a cluster of servers, dynamically dimensioning the service according to our needs, and without having to pay extra for it.

Avoid confusing what a ski pass with a flat rate. The latter is a recurring payment service (for example, monthly), while the former is paid only once.

Although they are very similar in concept, the flat rate is useful for services that we have contracted from a fixed way and consuming resources of some kind, such as telephony (consumes bandwidth) or connection to Internet (data, which the operator has to pay).

The ski passes, on the other hand, they serve rather for a specific use; In the example I have put before the server, we could use it for a season to bring carry out the tests of a program that we are creating, for which thing we will not need it again later.

To control the use of a ski pass, we will have a system of ticketing, which will issue a ticket to the user that will allow them to enjoy their ski pass.

Saying ticket may be in Format physical and electronic, or only electronic, accessing the service through a name of Username and password, for example.

Other kind of ski pass It is the one that allows us physical access to facilities.

In this case, said facilities must have doors that are opened by an electronic system that allows recognition of the identity of the user, in order to grant the corresponding access privileges, either for a limited time, or with the limitation in the accessible physical space.

It presupposes the ski pass a total price lower than the discontinued and / or limited use of the same service.

That is, it is part of a commercial offer through which a pack of services that comes out cheaper as a whole than the hiring to each of the services individually.

Photo: Fotolia - Michael Nivelet